Mobile wireless communications systems continue to grow in popularity and have become an integral part of both personal and business communications. For example, a portable radio device, allows users to communicate data and voice from almost anywhere. When coupled to a laptop computer, for example, a portable radio device may provide wireless access to a network, for example, the Internet. As the use of portable radio devices continues to increase, so too does the demand for smaller and more rugged devices which are easier and more convenient for users to carry, and which are increasingly resilient in harsh environmental conditions.
To reduce overall weight in a multi-user mobile environment, for example, rather than each user carry his own radio device, it may be desirable to have multiple users share a single radio device. Current approaches include a two-box approach where a switch is coupled between the radio device and each user's computer. For example, the ET-8xG-MIL-1 gigabit managed Ethernet switch, available from Sixnet, LLC of Ballston Lake, N.Y., includes a water-tight housing that may be directly mounted in a vehicle, for example. A radio device having its own housing is coupled to the ET-8xG-MIL-1 gigabit managed Ethernet switch to couple one port, for example, of the radio device, to many ports for multiple users.
Additionally, the DuraMar™ and DuraNet™ series of Ethernet switches, available from Parvus Corporation of Salt Lake City, Utah, similarly provide a two-box approach to mobile networking applications. More particularly, the DuraMar™ and DuraNet™ Ethernet switches include a separate housing from the radio device. In other words, the Ethernet switch is external to the radio device.
However, in many mobile applications, a two-box approach may be less desirable, as a user must carry two separate devices, thus using more space and increasing weight. Additionally, wires or cables are used to couple the two devices. This may be especially burdensome to a user carrying such devices.